What is caeine?
Caffeine is a naturally occurring chemical compound found in
plant constituents such as coffee and cocoa beans, tea leaves,
guarana berries and the kola nut, and has a long history of
human consumption. It is added to a variety of foods, such as
baked pastries, ice creams, sweets, and cola drinks. Caeine
is also found in so-called energy drinks, alongside other
ingredients such as taurine, and D-glucurono-γ-lactone. It is
also present in combination with p-synephrine in a number of
food supplements that are marketed for weight loss and sports
performance. Some medicines and cosmetics contain caffeine.
When consumed by humans, caffeine stimulates the central
nervous system, and in moderate doses increases alertness and
reduces sleepiness.
How does the body process caffeine?
Taken orally, caffeine is absorbed rapidly and completely by
the human body. The stimulatory effects may begin 15 to 30
minutes after ingestion and last a number of hours. In adults the
half-life of caffeine – the time it takes for the body to eliminate
50% of the caffeine – varies widely, depending on factors such as
age, body weight, pregnancy status, medication intake and liver
health. In healthy adults, the average half-life is approximately
four hours, with a range of two to eight hours.
What are the risks
?
Short-term adverse effects on adults and children can
include issues related to the central nervous system such as
interrupted sleep, anxiety and behavioural changes. In the
longer term, excessive caffeine consumption has been linked
to cardiovascular problems and, in pregnant women, stunted
foetus development.
▶ What is caeine?
▶ How does the body
process caffeine?
▶ What are the risks?
▶ Why did EFSA carry out
its risk assessment?
▶ What does the
assessment cover?
▶ How much caffeine do
we consume?
▶ How much caffeine is it
safe to consume?
▶ How much caeine is
there in…
▶ Does caffeine have an adverse
eect when consumed with other
constituents of “energy drinks”
and/or with alcohol?
Caeine
EFSA explains risk assessment
Caffeine is also found in so-called energy
drinks, alongside other ingredients such as
taurine, and D-glucurono-
γ
-lactone.
Why did EFSA carry out its risk assessment?
Some EU Member States raised concerns about the safety
of caffeine consumption in the general population and in
specific groups, such as adults performing physical activity,
and individuals consuming caffeine together with alcohol or
substances found in energy drinks. The European Commission
responded by asking EFSA to assess the safety of caffeine.
What does the assessment cover?
EFSA’s Scientific Opinion looks at the possible adverse health
effects of caffeine consumption from all dietary sources,
including food supplements:
▶ in the general healthy population and in sub-groups such
as children, adolescents, adults, the elderly, pregnant and
lactating women, and people performing physical exercise;
▶ in combination with other substances that are present in
“energy drinks” (D-glucurono-γ-lactone and taurine),
alcohol, or p-synephrine.
It does not consider the possible adverse effects of caffeine:
▶ in groups of the population affected by a disease or medical
condition;
▶ in combination with medicines and/or drugs of abuse;
▶ in combination with alcohol doses which, by themselves,
pose a risk to health (e.g. during pregnancy, binge drinking).
How much caffeine do we consume?
Average daily intakes vary among Member States, but are in the
following ranges:
Very elderly (75 years and above): 22- 417mg
Elderly (65-75 years): 23-362mg
Adults (18-65 years): 37-319mg
Adolescents (10-18 years): 0.4-1.4mg/kg bw
Children (3-10 years): 0.2-2.0mg/kg bw
Toddlers (12-36 months): 0-2.1mg/kg bw
In most surveys covered by EFSA’s Food Consumption Database
(see panel overleaf), coffee was the predominant source of
caffeine for adults, contributing between 40% and 94% of
total intake. In Ireland and the United Kingdom, tea was the
main source, contributing 59% and 57% of total caffeine intake
respectively.
There are large differences among countries regarding the
contribution of different food sources to total caffeine intake
among adolescents. Chocolate was the main contributor in six
surveys, coffee in four surveys, cola beverages in three, and tea
in two. In most countries chocolate (which also includes cocoa
drinks) was the predominant source of caffeine for children aged
3 to 10 years, followed by tea and cola drinks.
One reason for the differences in consumption levels – other
than cultural habits – is the variable concentrations of caffeine
found in some food products. Concentrations in coffee
beverages depend on the manufacturing process, the type of
coffee beans used, and the type of preparation (e.g. drip coffee,
espresso). The levels found in cocoa-based beverages depend
on the amount and type of cocoa present in different brands.
How much caffeine is it safe to consume?
On the basis of the data available, EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic
Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) reached the following
conclusions:
Adults
▶ Single doses of caffeine up to 200mg – about 3mg per
kilogram of body weight (mg/kg bw) from all sources do
not raise safety concerns for the general healthy adult
population. The same amount of caffeine does not raise
safety concerns when consumed less than two hours prior
to intense physical exercise under normal environmental
conditions. No studies are available in pregnant women or
middle aged/elderly subjects undertaking intense physical
exercise.
▶ Single doses of 100mg (about 1.4mg/kg bw) of caffeine
may affect sleep duration and patterns in some adults,
particularly when consumed close to bedtime.
▶ Intakes up to 400mg per day (about 5.7mg/kg bw per day)
consumed throughout the day do not raise safety concerns
for healthy adults in the general population, except
pregnant women.
Pregnant/lactating women
Caffeine intakes from all sources up to 200mg per day consumed
throughout the day do not raise safety concerns for the foetus.
Children and adolescents
The single doses of caffeine considered to be of no concern for
adults (3mg/kg bw per day) may also be applied to children,
because the rate at which children and adolescents process
caffeine is at least that of adults, and the studies available on the
acute effects of caffeine on anxiety and behaviour in children
and adolescents support this level. A safety level of 3mg/kg bw
per day is also proposed for habitual caffeine consumption by
children and adolescents.
How much caeine is there in…
All figures are approximate as caffeine content and portion sizes vary within and between countries
0 mg 20 40 60 80 100
0 mg 20 40 60 80 100
A bar of milk chocolate (50g)
A bar of plain chocolate (50g)
A standard can of cola (355ml)
A cup of black tea (220ml)
An espresso (60ml)
A standard can
of “energy drink” (250ml)
A cup of lter coee (200ml)
Does caffeine have an adverse eect when
consumed with other constituents of “energy
drinks” and/or with alcohol?
▶ Consumption of other constituents of “energy drinks” at
concentrations commonly present in such beverages would
not affect the safety of single doses of caffeine up to 200mg.
▶ Alcohol consumption at doses up to about 0.65g/kg bw,
leading to a blood alcohol content of about 0.08% – the
level at which you are considered unfit to drive in many
countries – would not affect the safety of single doses of
caffeine up to 200mg. Up to these levels of intake, caffeine
is unlikely to mask the subjective perception of alcohol
intoxication.
TM-04-15-330-EN-N
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43126 Parma
Italy
Tel. + 39 0521 036 111
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www.efsa.europa.eu
doi:10.2805/618813
ISBN 9789291996773
© European Food Safety Authority, 2015. Reproduction is authorised, except for commercial purposes, provided that the source is acknowledged.
Photo credits: EFSA,
Thinkstock
How did EFSA calculate consumption levels?
First, EFSA used a survey conducted in the UK to calculate caffeine levels in different food products. This survey contained
information on caffeine concentrations from 400 samples of teas – loose leaves, bags, vending machines, and instant tea
– and coffees – filter coffee, vending machines, espresso, and instant coffee – prepared at home, in workplaces or bought
in cafes and other retail outlets. For foods for which the UK survey did not report caffeine levels, an average of mean
values reported in other representative surveys was used, except for “energy drinks”, for which the caffeine concentration
(320mg per litre) of the most popular brand was chosen.
The EFSA Food Consumption Database was then used to calculate caffeine intake from food and beverages. The database
contains data from 39 surveys in 22 European countries covering 66,531 participants. These surveys do not provide
information about the consumption of caffeine-containing food supplements. A 2013 EFSA report was used to calculate
acute caffeine intakes from “energy drinks” in adults.
You can read the full EFSA Scientific Opinion on the safety of Caffeine at
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/publications/efsajournal.htm
